Fruit sizing equipment

ABSTRACT

Sizing apparatus for particular application in fruit sizing comprises a plurality of elements adapted for rotation and arranged in line and also laterally in banks to form an endless conveyor system, the elements being shaped convexly in planes at right angles to their axes of rotation and concavely in longitude such that a substantially circular aperture is formed between any two elements adjacent in line, which aperture increases in size when the elements are rotated and remains substantially circular.

Unlted States Patent 1 [111 3,837,487

Sherwood Sept. 24, 1974 [54] FRUIT SIZING EQUIPMENT 3,353,670 11/1967 Bensemann 209/106 X [75] Inventor: Robert F. Sherwood, Parow North, FOREIGN PATENTS 0 APPLICATIONS 460,799 12/1950 Italy 209/106 [73] Assignee: Bradwood (Proprietary) Limited,

p Province, South Africa Primary ExaminerAl1en N. Knowles [22] Filed; 23, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Shlesinger, Arkwright,

Garvey & Dmsmore [21] App]. No.: 390,685

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data 8 t f t l r f f t 12mg appara us or par ICU ar app 1ca 10m in 1111 s12- Aug. 25, 1972 South Africa 72/5856 g comprises a plurality of elements adapted for r0ta [52] U S Cl 209/106 tion and arranged in line and also laterally in banks to form an endless conveyor System, the elements being [51] Int. Cl B07b 13/04 Shaped convexly in planes at right angles to their axes [58] Field of Search 209/106, 102, 84 of rotation and concavely in longitude Such that a [56] References Cited stantially circular aperture is formed between any two elements ad acent in line, which aperture increases in UNITED STATES PATENTS size when the elements are rotated and remains subl,448,689 3/1923 Hatch 209/106 stantially circular. 1,429,764 9/1922 OQuinn 209/106 5 1,868,356 7/1932 Helenbolt 209/106 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP24I974 I 83.,

- snm anr a 1 FRUIT SIZING EQUIPMENT The present invention relates to equipment used particularly for sizing fruit and to a sizing element for use in such equipment.

A sizing mechanism for a fruit sizing machine comprising a pair of oppositely disposed plates pivotally supported to move in unison has been proposed. Similar mechanisms utilizing four shaped plates hinged to open and close in unison are also known. Although effective in use, the plates are expensive to manufacture and the mating formations in the contacting edges of the plates have to be accurately shaped to ensure that the plates move in unison. Such formations are also subject to wear and will require replacement from time to time.

The plates are also of relatively large size which is disadvantageous in this type of machine and their configuration makes them susceptible to breakage.

It is accordingly the object of the present invention to provide fruit sizing equipment in which the above disadvantages are largely overcome.

According to this invention there is provided a sizing element for particular use in fruit sizing equipment, the element being pivotally mounted about an axis and having a surface shaped convexly in planes at right angles to the pivotal axis and concavely in longitude such that a substantially circular aperture is formed between two such elements located adjacent each other with pivotal axes parallel and spaced apart, the element further being adapted such that rotation thereof will result in a progressive change in size of said aperture without departing substantially from its circular configuration.

Further features of the element of the invention provide for it to be a roller pivotally mounted on an axial shaft, the roller having a basically eccentric hour-glass configuration and for the element to be provided with means for continuous or discrete rotation thereof such that the said circular aperture defined between two adjacent rollers is changed continuously or by discrete amounts.

Still further features of the invention provide for the said rotating means to be an arm attached radially at one end of the shaft, the arm being provided with a runner on its free end adapted to run on a constantly inclined or a stepped surface.

The invention also provides fruit sizing equipment comprising a plurality of elements as defined above, the elements being arranged in a line in fixed spaced relationship such that a substantially circular aperture is formed between successive elements, the elements being mounted to form an endless conveyor system.

Further features. of the equipment provide for the elements further to be arranged laterally in banks and for successive banks to be movably mounted one behind the other to form the conveyor system, each bank including a common shaft and an arm attached radially at one end of the shaft as defined above adapted to rotate each bank independently and by fixed discrete amounts.

Still further features of the invention provide for the arm associated with each bank to run along a stepped surface located parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor system, for all the banks to be rotated discretely in the same direction and for each bank to be provided with a bar located above and parallel to the bank, the bar having a flexible skirt depending from each longitudinal side thereof extending towards the elements.

Other features of the invention will'become apparent from a preferred embodiment of the invention which is now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of two sizing rollers set for the smallest opening;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of the rollers set for the largest opening;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the rollers taken along line A-A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of part of a bank of laterally arranged rollers; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of part of fruit sizing equipment according to this invention.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a pair of elements or rollers 1, 2 mounted on a pair of shafts 3, 4. Each roller is of basically eccentric hour-glass shape in that it is curved convexly in planes at right angles to the axis of its shaft and concavely in longitude. The rollersare mounted on their shafts in any convenient manner, for instance, by means of press fits or grub screws (not shown).

As shown, the rollers are slightly spaced from one another but such that the aperture 5 formed between them is of circular configuration. The shaping of the rollers is such that upon rotation of one or the other roller, said aperture will progressively increase in size without departing substantially from its circular configuration. FIG. 1 shows the rollers in an orientation wherein the aperture 5 is at its smallest and FIG. 2 wherein said aperture is at its largest.

In this embodiment of the invention the rollers l, 2 are adapted to be rotated in the same direction independently of each other. Means for rotating the rollers in the same direction is shown schematically in the accompanying drawings. An arm 6 is secured adjacent its one end radially to each of the shafts 3, 4. The arm 6 carries a runner 7 which is adapted to run on a stepped surface 8 in the sizing equipment described below and thereby rotate the rollers between positions of minimum and maximum size of the aperture 5. The arm may be conveniently biased toward the stepped surface 8. It will be appreciated that the rotating means is of simple construction and obviates gearing between the shafts, or mating formations between adjacent edges of the rollers. Each roller is rotated independently of the other in a stepped discrete fashion resulting in the aperture defined therebetween changing its dimensions in jumps.

The sizing equipment of this invention includes a plurality of such rollers spaced apart and located in line such that a substantially circular aperture is formed between them. One further roller 9 is shown in ghosted lines in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The plurality of rollers-20 as shown in FIG. 5, forms part of an endless moving conveyor system and they are mounted on a suitable endless chain 21 to maintain their spaced relationship during movement. The arms and runners associated with each roller run on a common stepped surface 22 extending the length of the conveyor system and it is to be appreciated that along the length of the conveyor the diameters of successive apertures increase from a minimum at one end to a maximum at the other. As the rollers move along the apertures increase in size and the rollers along the length of the conveyor are differently orientated.

The rollers are further arranged laterally in banks as is shown in FIG. 4. Each bank comprises five or six rollers mounted side by side on a common shaft 11. This shaft is provided with an arm 12 and runner 13 as outlined above in the case where a single roller is mounted on a shaft.

All the runners on a common shaft are similarly orientated and the banks are arranged one behind the other to complete the endless conveyor system as shown in FIG. 5. In this equipment, the endless chain 21 meshes with two rotatable driving rollers 23 spaced apart which are in turn driven by an electrical or other power source (not shown).

The conveyor system may be used to deposit particular sizes of fruit at various stations along the length of the system underneath the rollers or the assembly of rollers may be used as an undersize eliminator. In this case the apertures are set at a predetermined size so that all fruit of a larger size will pass out the eliminator section for sizing along the equipment. Collecting trays 24 as shown in FIG. 5 are placed beneath the upper banks of rollers to collect the sized fruit along the length of the conveyor system. The fruit is placed on the rollers at one end of the conveyor.

Because the rollers are rotated in the same direction the single fruit situated between the rollers is also rotated and this ensures to a large extent that a fruit of irregular shape is correctly sized. For instance, where a fruit is larger in one plane than in another, it may maintain its largest area relatively to the aperture in a conventional sizing mechanism and consequently be sized larger than it should be. However, the rotating fruit tend to jump out of the recess formed between rollers during sizing operations.

For this reason a bar 14 is located over and parallel to each bank as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and a curved strip of rigid material fixed to the bar along its upper side. A flexible skirt l6 depends from either longitudinal side of the strip 15 and extends towards the rollers. The skirts are conveniently formed by a single sheet of plastics material draped over the strip as is shown in FIG. 3. The longitudinal edges of the strip are shaped to conform with the longitudinal profile of the rollers comprising each bank, and the skirt assembly is adapted to move with the bank in the conveyor system.

Adjacent skirts of adjacent banks maintain the fruit being sized in position between the rollers defining the sizing apertures.

The invention thus provides fruit sizing equipment which overcomes presently encountered disadvantages in such equipment. Various other embodiments are envisaged within the scope of the invention and in particular it is not essential to rotate the sizing rollers by discrete amounts. Were a constantly inclined running surface 8 or 22 used, the apertures between rollers would be constantly changed.

It will also be appreciated that because the spacing between adjacent rollers remains constant, there is no pinching action and consequently no likelihood of damage to the fruit.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent is:

1. Fruit sizing apparatus comprising:

a. an endless belt having a horizontal upper run, said belt comprising a series of spaced parallel shafts connected along their ends,

b. means for supporting said belt,

c. means for circulating said belt within said supportmg means,

d. a bank of rollers securely mounted adjacent one another on each of said shafts along the length thereof,

. each of said rollers having a surface profile of a segment of a circle extending along the periphery thereof thereby forming a groove having a minimum size at two diametrically opposed points of said roller, said groove increasing in size to a maximum size intermediate of said points at diametrically opposed positions on said roller,

f. said rollers of each bank being identically disposed with respect to one another,

g. the adjacent rollers of consecutive banks being aligned so as to form circular apertures between them, and

h. meansfor rotating each shaft and each roller thereon in discrete steps during passage along said upper run, said rotation being terminated abruptly at each of said steps.

2. Fruit sizing apparatus as in claim 1 and wherein:

a. a bar positioned above and parallel to each bank of rollers,

b. each bar fixedly mounted relative to said bank of rollers.

4. Fruit sizing apparatus as in claim 3 and including:

a flexible skirt depending from each longitudinal side of said bar and extending towards said bank. of rollers. 

1. Fruit sizing apparatus comprising: a. an endless belt having a horizontal upper run, said belt comprising a series of spaced parallel shafts connected along their ends, b. means for supporting said belt, c. means for circulating said belt within said supporting means, d. a bank of rollers securely mounted adjacent one another on each of said shafts along the length thereof, e. each of said rollers having a surface profile of a segment of a circle extending along the periphery thereof thereby forming a groove having a minimum size at two diametrically opposed points of said roller, said groove increasing in size to a maximum size intermediate of said points at diametrically opposed positions on said roller, f. said rollers of each bank being identically disposed with respect to one another, g. the adjacent rollers of consecutive banks being aligned so as to form circular apertures between them, and h. means for rotating each shaft and each roller thereon in discrete steps during passage along said upper run, said rotation beiNg terminated abruptly at each of said steps.
 2. Fruit sizing apparatus as in claim 1 and wherein: a. said means for rotating each shaft comprises a stepped surface on said supporting means, b. a radially extending arm at one end of said shaft, and c. a runner on the free end of said arm, said runner being adapted to run on said surface.
 3. Fruit sizing apparatus as in claim 1 and including: a. a bar positioned above and parallel to each bank of rollers, b. each bar fixedly mounted relative to said bank of rollers.
 4. Fruit sizing apparatus as in claim 3 and including: a flexible skirt depending from each longitudinal side of said bar and extending towards said bank of rollers. 